She was holding a stuffed rabbit.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then the man smiled.
"Hello, sweetheart."
Lily stepped backward.
"Who are you?"
"I'm a friend of your grandmother's."
"No, you're not."
His smile disappeared.
He moved toward the stairs.
Lily screamed.
Michael rushed out of the bedroom.
"Get away from her!"
The intruder pulled a small gun from his coat.
"Give me the envelope."
Michael raised his hands.
"Take whatever you want."
"I don't want your money."
He pointed toward Lily.
"I want what the girl is carrying."
Lily clutched her stuffed rabbit.
The blue envelope was hidden inside its torn lining.
Michael realized what the man meant.
He moved slowly toward the kitchen.
"Listen. We can talk about this."
The intruder stepped closer.
Then a loud crash came from the back door.
Mrs. Alvarez had returned with a neighbor.
The intruder turned.
Michael grabbed a heavy lamp and threw it toward him.
The lamp struck the man's shoulder.
His gun fell.
Michael rushed forward, knocking him against the wall.
The man fought back, striking Michael across the face.
Lily ran toward the hallway.
"Get out!" Michael shouted.
She escaped through the front door and ran into the street.
A car was approaching.
It stopped.
The driver lowered the window.
It was Rachel Miller.
"Get in!"
Lily climbed into the back seat.
Rachel sped away.
Inside the house, the intruder managed to escape through the kitchen window.
Michael was left bleeding on the floor.
Mrs. Alvarez called emergency services.
Before she could finish the call, Michael grabbed her wrist.
"Don't call the police."
"Why?"
"Because we don't know which officers are involved."
He reached for his briefcase.
"The girl is the only witness who can connect Sarah to the original case."
Mrs. Alvarez looked toward the empty doorway.
"Where did Rachel take her?"
Michael stared at her.
"Who?"
"The police officer. She came for Lily."
Michael's expression changed.
"Rachel Miller?"
Mrs. Alvarez nodded.
He immediately called her number.
No answer.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
Then he received a message.
I HAVE THE GIRL. DON'T TRUST THE POLICE.
Michael looked at the screen.
The sender was Rachel.
Meanwhile, Rachel drove through the empty streets.
Lily sat quietly in the back.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"Somewhere safe."
"Are you taking me to Grandma?"
Rachel hesitated.
"Not yet."
Lily looked out the window.
Then she noticed something.
A black SUV was following them.
The same vehicle from the grocery store.
"That car," Lily whispered.
Rachel checked the rearview mirror.
Her expression tightened.
"Stay down."
The SUV accelerated.
Rachel turned sharply into a narrow street.
The vehicle followed.
A second car appeared ahead.
Rachel slammed on the brakes.
The road was blocked.
Two men stepped out.
One of them was Thomas Reed.
He looked older than the photograph, but Lily recognized him immediately.
Rachel reached for her radio.
Thomas raised his hand.
"Don't bother. Nobody is coming."
Rachel stepped out of the car.
"Stay away from the child."
Thomas smiled.
"You're making a mistake, Officer."
"Then arrest me."
Thomas looked past her.
His eyes settled on Lily.
"Hello, little one."
Lily moved deeper into the back seat.
Thomas continued.
"I've been waiting a very long time to meet you."
He looked at Rachel.
"Now tell me where Evelyn hid the original records."
Rachel refused to answer.
Thomas sighed.
"Then we'll have to do this the difficult way."
The first thing Rachel noticed was that Thomas Reed wasn't carrying a weapon.
He didn't need one.
Two men stood behind him, blocking the street. Another vehicle had pulled up behind Rachel's car.
They were surrounded.
"Let the girl go," Rachel said.
Thomas shook his head.
"You don't understand what you're involved in."
"I understand enough."
"Then you know the girl is in danger."
Rachel laughed bitterly.
"She's in danger because of people like you."
Thomas looked toward the car.
"Lily, come here."
The little girl shook her head.
"You're the man who hurt my grandma."
Thomas's expression changed.
For a moment, something resembling regret appeared in his eyes.
Then it disappeared.
"Your grandmother doesn't understand what happened."
"She understands more than you think."
Thomas looked at Rachel.
"Get the child out of the vehicle."
Rachel refused.
One of the men moved toward the passenger door.
Suddenly, a siren sounded in the distance.
Thomas turned.
Rachel had secretly activated her emergency transmitter.
A police cruiser appeared at the end of the street.
Then another.
Thomas stepped backward.
"Get out of here!" he shouted.
His men scattered.
Rachel opened the back door.
"Come on!"
Lily jumped out and ran toward the arriving officers.
But the first cruiser stopped abruptly.
Daniel Cross stepped out.
Rachel froze.
Daniel looked at Lily.
Then at Rachel.
"Officer Miller, step away from the child."
Rachel shook her head.
"Don't listen to him. He's involved."
Daniel approached slowly.
"Rachel, put your hands up."
Thomas watched from the darkness.
He was smiling.
The entire confrontation had been designed to create confusion.